Social Care
Ministers promise radical reform after child deaths review
Ministers have promised radical improvements to data sharing across children’s services after two critical reports this week identified problems that led to child deaths.
Future Forum: ICSs provide chance for culture change
Integrated Care Systems (ICS) must not be ‘driven by structure,’ The MJ’s Future Forum heard today.
Bill passes as intervention powers reined in
The Health and Care Bill has officially received Royal Assent following months of wrangling between the House of Commons and House of Lords.
Advisers call for minimum pay to ease care workforce crisis
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has said the Government should foot the bill for a minimum rate of £10.50 per hour for care workers in England.
Call for infection control fund investigation
A call has been made for an investigation into how the infection control fund was spent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
July is just the starting line for ICS
James Arrowsmith says collaboration with local government is key to the success of Integrated Care Systems, and we will need to keep making the case for the equal role of councils.
Call for tougher regulation of exempt housing
Councils have shared concerns some providers of ‘exempt’ accommodation are exploiting the sector as ‘a licence to print money’.
Council chiefs warn care guidance burdens ‘overstretched staff’
Council leaders have criticised the Government’s care funding guidance which requires overstretched councils to produce ‘detailed’ market sustainability plans.
Future Forum North: ‘lack of alignment’ in healthcare reforms
A ‘frenzy’ of Government healthcare announcements has resulted in the fragmentation of integration reforms, the Future Forum North has heard.
Councils to step in if 'Homes for Ukraine' fails
Under guidance newly published by the Government, statutory homelessness duties will apply to refugees if relations with sponsors break down, leaving councils to pick up the pieces.
Councils 'cut out' of Ukraine sponsorship
The Government has been urged to work more closely with councils following the publication of its Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Leaders voice ICS frustration to minister
Social care minister Gillian Keegan was told local authorities were being sidelined or held back from closer integration at a meeting of the Local Government Association’s councillors’ forum.
UK ‘sleepwalked’ into dysfunctional children’s social care market
Local authorities need more support to help them find suitable placements for children in foster care and children’s homes, a new report has said.
Councils must learn from COVID complaints
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s report on the first 18 months of its investigations linked to COVID suggests that huge pressure pushed on already-present fault lines. Michael Hyatt explains.
Care minister tells services to 'start listening'
Scottish social care minister Kevin Stewart has said services need to be more ‘person-centred’.
Rethinking case management for better lives in social services
With the assistance of councils iESE is building a platform that joins up all involved and puts the recipient of care, their carers and advocates, in control, says Dr Andrew Larner.
Warnings over unmet care needs
Social care services could be put under further pressure due to unmet needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research.
Dealing with complaints became ‘casualty of crisis,’ Ombudsman says
COVID-19 ‘magnified stresses’ that councils were already faced with before the pandemic and dealing with complaints became a ‘casualty,’ a new report has said.
We need a culture change on care
By focusing on the enablers of integration, the new White Paper offers the scope for accelerating efforts already underway, says Deborah Rozansky. But better data does not on its own lead to better outcomes, she warns.
'Wicked questions' need resolving on health and care integration
The integration White Paper will help move the NHS towards a new partnership with local government but ‘wicked questions’ still need resolving, the Health Devolution Commission (HDC) has said.
